Sinners & Saints (Sinners & Saints #1) (44 page)

           
There’s
always some cop from a bad neighborhood who holds a grudge to the wealthy.

           
“Listen,
I get it. Alcoholic father abused you, wanted to make a man out of you. Before
your mother abandoned you, you watched her berate your father for not giving
you a decent income. I get it. Life sucked and yes I do get a lot of things.
I’ve never earned anything in my life. I can have almost any woman I want. I
could fuck your wife and your daughter between Sunday and Thursday. You’re too strict.
Probably haven’t had sex in a month and when you do, you come too
quickly—no foreplay—and you’re too much of a hard ass on your
daughter. If I was the asshole I used to be, I would definitely go pay a visit
to your marital bed. I’ve done it before with a certain headmaster at my old
high school. Trust it can be done. But no… I am now a reformed asshole. I may
be spoiled, I may even be bratty, but I have never and never will be a rapist.”

           
“I
can’t wait to watch you burn at a stake. Not even your own rich daddy is saving
you.”

           
“Yes,
well my father and I are not on speaking terms right now.”

           
“What
happened—you took the jet without daddy’s permission?”

           
“No,
I fucked his wife.”

           
“You
really are a piece of work.”

           
“So
they keep telling me,” I mumble as someone comes in. Yay, it’s my lawyer,
Camereon Beckwith.

           
“This
interview is over. If you excuse me, I would like to speak to my client right
now, detective,” he says, his black rim glasses on his face, brown hair combed
to the side and a grey suit and blue tie.

           
The
cop looks at me then leaves out.

           
“Hugo,
you have gone and done it now.” Beckwith sets his briefcase on the table and
sits across from me.

           
“I
didn’t rape anyone. Can we please pay my bail and get out of here?”

           
“That’s
just the thing, Hugo. Your father isn’t paying your bail.”

           
“Seriously?”

           
“Yes,
told me to do the best I can to get you off, but other than that, no.”

           
I
let out a bitter laugh shaking my head.

           
“You’re
all alone, Hugo.”

           
Of
course. Which is what Scarlett wanted it to be. Back where I started, alone. If
she couldn’t have me, no one could.

The door opens again and
someone comes walking in, this time a woman in a black pants suit, hair pinned
up and brown eyes.

           
“Hello,
Hugo, I’m Angie Wallace. I will be representing you.”

           
“Excuse
me?” Beckwith and I both stare at her confused.

           
“I
can get you out of this place in less than two hours.”

           
“What…
Who sent you?” I ask her.

           
“If
you let me represent you, I will explain.”

           
I
look at Beckwith then back at her.

           
“Hugo,
you can’t be serious. Don’t be stupid.”

           
“You
know why I don’t like you, Cam? You sound like my father. Tell him to go fuck
himself. Get out.”

           
Beckwith
shakes his head and leaves while Ms. Wallace sits at his seat.

           
“So,
what is this?” I ask.

           
“Mr.
Mandrake, I am here on behalf of someone who wants to see you seek justice.”

           
“Who
do you work for?”

           
She
wasn’t kidding. She got me out in less than two hours. The hearing was short.
There is no evidence except Rebecca’s testimony and the drugs found. The judge
is probably a family friend of the Townsends. The next time we will meet again
in court is scheduled and my bail is set at $1 million. Paid for.

           
“Don’t
even think about leaving the country, Mr. Mandrake,” the judge warns me,
evoking my passport.

           
I’m
livid and I need to get back to my brother and Juliet, but the real question is
who paid for my bail? Who sent this lawyer?

           
“Where
are we going?” I ask the lawyer once we get in the limo waiting for us.

           
“You’ll
see,” she says, smiling.

           
After
twenty minutes we arrive to Trump Tower. I will admit I’ve never been in here.
Only because I’ve met the guy once and he is as big of a prick as everyone
thinks he is. We walk right in; the people at the front desk already know the
lawyer. We take the elevator up to what Wallace says is the Two Bedroom Park
View her benefactor recently purchased.

           
“She’s
been traveling for a long time,” she informs me.

           
“So,
it’s she,” I say noticing.

           
“Yes,
she is a she.” I can tell Ms. Wallace is anticipating me meeting this woman. I
am too.

           
We
step into the living room suite and I already see the benefactor. I thought
maybe there was a possibility that I would know her, but I don’t. I don’t
recognize her at all. She’s a very gorgeous woman. Tall, chocolate skin,
wearing a black and blue dress with black heels. Her hair is jet black and
falls around her neck. She stands like Scarlett, confident in what she has and
the power she has over people. She smiles at me like she knows me, but I don’t
know her.

           
“Hello,
Hugo. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time now,” she says
as the door closes behind me.

JULIET

“You
want me to do what?”
 

           
“You
know what I find funny? I call your office and tell you that August has jumped
off the roof of the building and you get here within an hour and a half.”

           
“I
was in a business meeting and you didn’t sound that hurt.”

           
“Well,
you never know, I could have emotional numbness disorder.”

           
Jonathan
Mandrake narrows his eyes at me. “You’re actually Hugo’s girlfriend?”

           
“Yes,
I am and yes I want you to bail him out.”

           
“I’ve
already sent my attorney to handle his case.”

           
“Well
what did he say?”

           
“I
told him not to update me. I don’t want to hear about the case. Hugo wants to
be a man and defy me and act like he doesn’t need me, then he freely can.”

           
“He’s
been defying you for years,” Jordana counters.

           
“Yeah
and you don’t do anything but make false threats,” Cody adds.

           
“Okay,
what is this? The breakfast club?” Mandrake rudely spits out.

           
“Classic
American teen film, but this is just a classic case of a horrible father,” I
say.

           
“Excuse
me?”

           
“Your
first wife killed herself. Your second one took you for half of your money and
your recent one shagged your son. The son that you do nothing but berate and
bully along with your son who is autistic. You are a bully because that is all
you have ever known. Hugo has been given a second chance and now Scarlett is
destroying that by lying.”

           
“And
how do you even know? Huh?” He comes closer to me. “You’ve known my son for
what? A month? You have no idea what he or anyone is capable of. Trust me on
that, Ms. Spears. You live in this world long enough, you will see what people
are capable of to get to the top and I am at the top and I’ll be damned if I let
my childish son ruin everything our family has built.”

           
“Like
keeping another rape and drug overdose involving a girl on scholarship quiet?”

           
His
eyes broaden and his brow creases.

           
“I
understand you’re pissed off and letting the fact that your wife will forever
compare your dick to your young and more handsome son blind your low level
common sense, but it doesn’t matter if you support Hugo on this or not. He is
your son. He has the Mandrake name, blood, and unfortunately pride—only
it’s starting to simmer down compared to yours. You are going to suffer from
this. Now you go get him out. I love him and it may not mean anything to you,
but there is someone who loves your son, both of them, and I intend to do a
better job than you.”

           
“Well,
that just adds more reasons why I’m hopelessly and annoyingly in love with
you.”

           
I
crank my neck to look past Mr. Mandrake and see Hugo.

           
“Hugo,
you’re out,” Cody says.

           
“No,
shit,” he says to him.

           
“Beckwith
got you out?” his father asks.

           
“No…
one of my admirers sent a better lawyer and paid for my bail.” I have to admit,
I’m sort of jealous. I just made a great bloody speech. I was on my path to
save him.

           
“Well,
then I’ll be going,” his father says, buttoning up his suit jacket.

           
“How’s
Kelly?” Hugo asks.
       

           
“Fine.
We’re going to work it out. I guess your influence wasn’t as high standard as
you foolishly thought.”

           
“No,
it is… she’s just foolishly in love with you.”

           
“Like
this one.” He nods his head at me and walks pass Hugo like he’s anything but
his own son.

           
“I’ll
be seeing you around.” Hugo looks him in the eye and they’re more controlled.
It’s like he knows something more. “Dad.”

           
Mr.
Mandrake arches his brow at him not giving Hugo’s piercing stare a second
thought. He leaves us and before Hugo turns his head, I come running to him,
wrapping my arms around him.

           
“You
okay?” I ask.

           
“I
will be.” He pulls away and I feel worried. He has this look like he’s
disturbed. He walks to the bar and pours himself a drink.

           
“Hugo,
you were arrested for rape,” Jordana tells him, noticing the same mood.

           
“Thank
you for that eye opening truth, Jordana.” He takes a sip of his drink. “Cody go
out to the front and wave to the limo outside.

           
“What?”
Cody asks confused as we all are.

           
“Just
do it.” Hugo speaks with sharpness and ease.

           
“What’s
going on, Hugo?” Poppy asks.

           
He’s
still staring at his glass until someone walks in behind Cody. I hope this
isn’t one of his admirers because she is gorgeous. She’s tall, brown smoothe
looking skin, kickass dress and heels. She has this look of confidence as she
looks around the room.

           
“What
are you doing here?” Our heads turn to a shocked Anika.

           
“You
know her?” Cody asks.

           
“I…
uh…” Anika starts to panic.

           
“Oh,
yeah Cody. It turns out Anika has been secretly spying on us. Well, me because she
goes to Columbia. Sent by this woman.” Hugo extends his hand towards her. “The
woman who bailed me out. Her sister.”

           
“Cody,
I can explain.” Anika rushes towards a confused Cody. He steps back in disgust
while I try to pick my jaw off the floor.

           
“What
is going on?” I ask. “Who are you?”

           
“I’m
someone who too has been a victim of Scarlett’s… reign, as you call it.”

           
“So,
you’re not one of Hugo’s girls?” Jordana asks.